Enlightening Thoughts

treeve

New Member
Despite all the ranting and raving - which is, I admit, based on outdated technology, the demise of the incandescent light is forthcoming.
However, notwithstanding the wild and dismissive statements made by James Randerson in The Gaurniad; the energy saving lightbulbs DO cause the triggering of migraines, irrespective of the flicker (alleged) or any other manifestation of the technology.
I have had migraines since I was ten years old.
I did not know what they were for decades, after all what does a child ask his parents who already consider their child is a bit over the top and unnaturally inquisitive about scientific matters ... I kept quiet.
Then I saw Oliver Sacks discussing aberrations of the mind, and he showed a visual of the geometric flashing of a migrane ... it was precisely what I experience.
At that time, knowing what it was, I could then track down its causes and effects, and just what to do about it.
Oddly, I came across a book No more Migraines, no more headaches.
by Zuzana Bic. A wild claim? Heard it all before? Naaa!
HOWEVER, I read it and understood the processes.
I followed the recommendations and top of the list was that I should eat more foods that have Tryptophans ... particularly Cottage Cheese.
In the week, what were events that plagued my life for year after year, once or more a week, simply stopped. I did not have any more - full stop ... well not quite true ... when my wife died, I had a bout of two months of migraines, but on taking up the issue face on, I went back to cottage cheese and they stopped again, allowing me to deal with the other stresses of my situation.
Until this last month. I suddenly felt (on top of all other problems with slipped disc that I had had since I was 25 and arthritis that had been with me since 12 years ago) quite debilitated, dizzy and was experiencing some quite wild migraines ... daily lasting hours ... out came the cottage cheese (I have 500g in one sitting) but nothing happened, no effect at all.
I went to the doctor, and nothing could be diagnosed .... Until I got talking about getting some new bulbs for the house, as I had run out.
I was told that the incandescent ones were being phased out ... I then checked and realised they were essentially fluorescent bulbs. In 1980 the office was fitted with fluorescents, as they were the 'thing'. However my headaches started in earnest then, and by judicial soundproofing and reflector design (my own design and my own construction) the headaches eased.
Just thinking about that, I remembered that I had returned home, and my study light needed replacement ... I used one of the 'elderly people's' packs that are sent around 'to save us old folks money'....
I then took the bulb out, and the migraines have stopped, in a day.
This was an impromptu test on my health by pure chance, but it proves absolutely that these enegy saving lamps affect my migraines, and therefore whatever brain I have. It was as if a switch was thrown.
So, now I need to get a decent store of incandescent bulbs for the future or whatever future I do have will be fraught with imagery that I would rather not experience any more.
 

treeve

New Member
It appears that I am not the only one with violent concerns over this change to CFLs. Besides the fact that they contain MERCURY and if broken must be handled with great care and possibly even controlled by some HSE directive. Oh, yes, you cannot just hoik them into the bin when dead and/or broken. I am concerned enough with my two landing lights (no aircraft jokes please) to get them changed back again, not that I spend any time out there, but despite trashing comments about they do not take ages to warm up .. these two are brand new just given to me by some benevolent company, and they are near dark when switched on, candles are brighter, and they are positively dangerous on a staircase. I do not like the light from them, on top of other concerns, so I will stockpile until some alternative is properly considered, namely the LED lamp. They can be manufactured near the same size/shape as incandescent bulbs. My other worries revolve around non-considered technological and design. Dimmers have not been considered and they do not work with CFLs, who pays for new light fittings to accommodate the new 'improved' shape; the house has many other types of light fittings which will have no consequential effect on electricity bills or the atmosphere. Many kitchens and offices are lit by banks upon banks of small spotlights. Also more spotlights of the large size ... etc etc ... all very well following European Directives and endless moronic drivel if there is no thought or technology behind it it is merely political engineering of the next to worse kind. I am getting my non CFL bulbs this week ....
 

treeve

New Member
Migraine - you Tarzan

Does anyone else experience headaches? clusterheadaches, tension headaches, migraines (pain or aura variety), and here it should be added a migraine falls into varying types, but in line with the origin of its name, is experienced in one or other hemisphere of the brain. If it is both, then it is a headache. Ancient Greek 'hemikrania. They do not necessarily have associated pain. Despite the OE definition, neither does the pain have to be of the throbbing variety. Mine for example is extremely debilitating, but rarely is accompanied by pain, but when it happens .. crunch. A migraine has a different cause than headaches per se. Well that is what we are told. However, unlike a headache that has specific causes, a migraine has not yet been isolated as to cause. It is known as to the physiological events, those are measureable, but everyone has differing triggers, the actual physical cause is not observable or measureable. Basically - other than endless articles and endless sympathy, we are on our own. Some insist they gain relief from certain medication, which may well be true, but only serves to engineer a dependence upon that drug and does not really solve anything. In my case, even when I have had the pain, the drugs serve no purpose ... it is back as vicious as ever, a type of Arnie in the head.
Others tell me not to eat cheese or drink coffee. When it comes right down to it, we need to keep a 'migraine diary' which logs the diet events all the way through to the event. Eventually you may possibly come to a conclusion as to a trigger, or more likely you will discover that like myself, there are no triggers and it is a random occurrence that just wants to follow you like a bunny-boiler.
In general it knocks the hades out of me, I am disorientated, there is a loud noise which sounds like a cross between the surf and a motor screeching for oil, I generally do not feel nauseous (though others do), but it feels as if I am walking through a cotton wool wall. As to vision, this takes on various aspects. First there is the misty cloud which covers all, then there is the odd little dot in the centre of vision, it flashes on an off, it moves in a small circle. The dot grows into a vision of peculiarity at times even it looks like a page of print. Then I am conscious of a geometric and growing angular curve, in an ionic pattern, it spreads and pulses across my vision. Like all perverse brain activity, it occurs on the right and the image appears in my left vision. The image grows to the outside edge of my vision. There are occasions when it startes with a second blotch of light (red these days - used to be electric blue). There are occasions when the line splits into two to give me more amusement. The light show over, it has not yet done ... I feel entirely knocked out.
I have tried all the other methods of a darkened room, silence and all that, but the only thing that gets me through it at all is to grasp the blighter by the throat and work right through it, ever aware that I cannot see a thing through the display, other than that tiny spot in the middle of vision, a sort of overlap image from my right eye.
In a nutshell, I feel worse afterwards having taken it quietly than from pushing through.
I will add though that for me any foods with Tryptophans help me, and I have found that if I feel a migraine coming on (as I can) I eat a tub of Cottage Cheese and I do not get the event at all. This was recommended in the book by Zuzana Bic. For me it works.
Tell us your experience.
 
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treeve

New Member
All over the country shops are running out of incandescent bulbs. Not so in Penzance ... plenty of stocks in Hydrovolt. Andrewartha's lighting section dows not carry low energy bulbs as the 'bulbs are hopeless aren't they'.. They supply standard fittings or fittings for halogen bulbs. In a nutshell, having searched all over (and many thanks for your help) but cannot find the right light and right bulb combination. I have got a set of halogen lamps from Lidls and will be making my own light fitting, using some of them.
With all due respects to suppliers, £65 up to £90 for a reading light is pushing things rather, and that is for one bulb. ::6:
 
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